Dolce Norwalk seeks to host events

Published 7:00 pm, Monday, December 8, 2008

NORWALK

By ROBERT KOCH

Hour Staff Writer

Weddings, anniversaries, bar mitzvahs and similar events could be held at Dolce Norwalk Center, while the portion of the property off limits for future development would grow to nearly 20 acres, under an application received by the Department of Planning and Zoning.

Dolce Norwalk, a business conference center located at 32 Weed Ave., is seeking a zoning amendment to permit, with restrictions, "celebratory events, ceremonies and rituals."

Economics are driving the request, according to Frank N. Zullo, the Norwalk attorney representing Dolce Norwalk.

"In an effort to make it more viable, we are asking to have celebratory events, such as weddings and bar mitzvahs and things of that nature," Zullo said. Dolce Center "is a gem for the city of Norwalk, and we think everyone whose visited the place and experienced the services realizes what a gem it is, and we should do all things reasonable to preserve it. We hope that the Zoning Commission would concur."

"You've got a conference center that's high-end, and they want to be able to offer weddings," Lightfield said. "It's an interesting low-impact use. They're not trying to be a wedding mill. The key thing is you're looking at lot of open space that residents can enjoy."

The 66.5-acre property, located in a residential neighborhood, is zoned "research and development, which doesn't permit celebratory functions or similar special events. More than a dozen acres are currently under conservation easement.

Under the application, limitations would apply to special events attended by 90 or more people. Dolce Norwalk could hold no more than 48 such events a year with no more than two such events during a weekend, or three such events during a weekend followed by a Monday holiday. A police officer would be required to be stationed at each exit to a public road for one hour after a special event.

Music, food and liquor services would have to terminate at 11:15 p.m. for events taking place on a holiday, Friday, Saturday or a Sunday preceding a Monday holiday. Such activities must cease at 10 p.m. on any other day, under the application.

Overall, the total number of people attending presently permitted activities and special events could not exceed, at any one time, six individuals per acre. That translates to 399 persons.

Under another provision, the conservation-restricted area, upon which no homes can be built, would increase from 14.5 acres to 19.5 acres.

State Rep. Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-142, minority leader, served as spokesman and negotiator, facilitating dialogue between the residents and representatives of Dolce Norwalk. During a series of meetings, Dolce representatives explained their request, and residents shared their concerns about traffic, noise and other issues, according to Cafero, who lives in West Norwalk.

Ultimately, an agreement was reached that included the expansion of the conservation easement and restrictions being placed upon the number of special events, crowd size and hours of operation.

"What we tried to do is assemble the people most immediately and directly affected. It's all pending approval by zoning. (But) it represents, in the true sense of the word, a negotiated compromise," Cafero said. "What's most important is we have negotiated in the deed that those 20 acres can never be built upon."

Peggy Yff, West Norwalk Association president, said abutting neighbors and residents had a number of concerns. Following the negotiations, there emerged a general consensus among residents to support the application for expanded uses at Dolce Norwalk, according to Yff.

"We made a list of concerns and issues that we wanted Dolce to consider, if they were going to go ahead, and those included expanding the existing conservation easement," Yff said. "Larry (Cafero) presented to the neighbors what he achieved in his negotiations with Dolce and he reported back to us.

"Our general consensus is to support their application," Yff said.

For the better part of the last century, the property was used by The Holy Ghost Fathers as a seminary. In 1980, GTE bought the property and used it as a management training facility. In 1998, GTE sold the property to Prudential Insurance Co., which sold it to the Dolce family in 2003.

Over the years, the Zoning commissioners approved a number of changes, expanding the allowable uses of the property. For instance, business meetings and dinners not necessarily related to trained are now permitted.

Cafero said Dolce Center has been a "good corporate neighbor" and a "great facility."

"If they go belly up, they could sell the whole thing for development," said Cafero, addressing what could happen, if Dolce Norwalk leaves the property.